Justin and Amelia McMillen's Elsworth Supper Club returns this spring
Justin and Amelia McMillen are using the Elsworth Supper Club to sketch out and test ideas for the restaurant they hope to open one day. The McMillens run the supper club out of their former garage, which they converted to a screened-in patio before it became the Elsworth dining room. On supper club evenings, up to 10 guests gather around the table, with three bite-sized morsels served as the prelude to three courses utilizing fine seasonal ingredients.
The supper club’s guests don’t always know each other, but the entree course is designed to help break the ice, with sides – and sometimes even the main protein itself – served family-style. “Everyone gets a plate of protein, and then there are three to four family-style items to pass around,” Justin said. “We thought that was a really nice way to create really natural conversation,” Amelia added. Much of the cooking takes place outdoors on the McMillens’ 4-foot hearth. “On the day of the event, everything is done outdoors on the hearth,” Amelia said.
The menus reflect the McMillens’ experiences working in fine dining, but the ambiance and presentation is intentionally fun and casual. The couple learned a lot about striking that balance while working on the opening team at three-star Michelin restaurant SingleThread in Healdsburg, California. Before that, Amelia worked front-of-house at Gerard Craft’s restaurant Niche, while Justin was chef de cuisine at Sidney Street Café. Justin’s former roles also include serving as culinary director at Niche Food Group and kitchen supervisor at Balkan Treat Box. He is currently the executive chef at Noto Italian Restaurant in St. Peters.
“We definitely want to open a place at some point and we're keeping eyes on spaces that come available,” Amelia said. A place near their home in Webster Groves would be ideal, but they’re waiting for the right spot. “We just really want to be in the community that we're serving,” Amelia added.
The Elsworth Supper Club took a winter break from its regularly scheduled dinners, but the McMillens have just announced the club is returning for its 2024 season. They've already booked a number of private dinners for groups of eight to 10 guests (contact them via Instagram DM if that's something you're interested in), but will also be announcing occasional dates for dinners that anyone can attend. The cost is $135 per person (including tax and gratuity). Follow the supper club on Instagram to keep up with the latest event announcements.
Instagram: @elsworth_supper_club
